About Drug Use and Abuse 800-234-8334

In order to understand anything about drug abuse, we first have to begin from the basics in defining and interpreting the meaning of the word drug. If you happen to be in need of immediate help, you may dial 800-234-8334 to speak with a substance abuse counselor now.

One definition of the word “drug” is as follows: ‘A drug is a substance which alters the normal and usual mode of operation of the body.’ Therefore, the function of a drug is seen as that of adjusting the body’s usual way of functioning in order to achieve a certain desired result. These results vary and depend on the particular and specific circumstances of the user. However, the most common use of drugs is in medicine. They are often used for pain relief when there is an illness present.

Going from the above, the definition of drug abuse can be derived. It will suffice to say that the use of a drug for a purpose other than that which it is intended constitutes drug abuse. For instance, if a drug is meant for curative purposes when there is an ailment in the body, then a user or consumer who does not have that ailment, but goes right ahead and takes the drug can be said to have begun abusing the drug in question.

An example of this is when a person takes a pain killer despite not suffering from any particular aches or pains, in fact the sole reason for consuming the drug is to get the euphoric feeling that the drug can provide. This constitutes drug abuse.

Everything has a beginning in history and drug abuse has a history. The following paragraph deals with the history of drug abuse and specifically the beginning of the practice which has become a troubling menace in this 21st century.

Naturally, human beings have a propensity for pleasure. In all their activities, the ultimate aim is often solely that of seeking pleasure. During the advent of farming, the technique of fermentation was discovered. This is what led to the manufacture of alcohol, which is one of the most widely abused substances the world over. Also, home remedies were invented for certain ailments such as bodily aches and pains and these homemade remedies only used naturally occurring substances.

During ancient religious ceremonies, there was often a need to experience euphoria and release, especially during rituals and in many cultures naturally occurring drugs were used to obtain this effect.

There was also the discovery of distillation which led to the improvement of the manufacturing process of alcohol. This increased alcohol consumption in society in a considerable manner. And so alcohol abuse began; due to the refinement brought on by the discovery of the technique of distillation.

As a matter of fact, alcohol is probably the first substance to have been abused by human beings. Over time, people seeking pleasure began diversifying into other substances as a way of enhancing the pleasure they were getting from alcohol abuse and this was the birth of drug abuse.